Page 85 of Cole

Cole stayed close as they examined Janice, checking her vitals, looking for injuries beyond the obvious scrapes and bruises. She was dehydrated, borderline hypothermic from her time in inadequate clothing, and showing signs of shock, but otherwise uninjured.

"She needs warmth, fluids, and rest," the EMT reported to Morrison. "But she's stable."

Morrison nodded, then looked at Cole. "Your team did good work here. Could've been a lot worse if you hadn't gotten to her when you did."

Cole didn't feel like he'd done good work. He felt like he'd barely held it together as Janice had come within inches of being killed, and his split-second decisions could have gone wrong in a dozen different ways.

But she was alive. That was what mattered. "It's over," he confirmed, reaching for her. "You're safe."

Timothy, Frazier, and Dalton gathered near Cole, watching the organized chaos of the federal operation.

"Not bad for a rescue mission," Frazier said with a grin.

"Could've done without all the shooting," Timothy pointed out. "But yeah, not bad."

Cole looked down at Janice, at her exhausted, dirt-streaked, beautiful face. They'd survived. Against armed men and wilderness and pure bad luck, they'd survived.

And now came the hard part… figuring out what happened next.

36

The federal agents set up their command post in Northern Summit's former office building, transforming it into a hub of law enforcement activity. Janice sat wrapped in a thermal blanket someone had given her, clutching terrible coffee that was at least warm.

Cole refused to leave her side. His hand rested on her shoulder, caring and solid, like he needed the physical contact to reassure himself she was really okay.

Across the room, Cheryl spoke with Agent Morrison, pointing at items on her laptop, which made the federal agent's expression grow darker.

"How much evidence does she have?" Janice asked quietly.

"From what I'm hearing? Enough to bury Penson and everyone who helped him." Cole's thumb traced gentle circles on her shoulder. "Financial records showing they knew they were operating illegally. Internal communications discussing the contamination and deciding to hide it. Photos and video of them tampering with monitoring equipment."

Janice thought of her own cameras, moved and sabotaged. "They tampered with my research equipment too."

"All evidence now." Cole's hand tightened on her shoulder. "Every camera they moved, every sensor they disabled. It all proves they knew what they were doing was wrong."

Agent Morrison approached. "Dr. Lynch, I need a full statement from you. Everything from the moment you first noticed the water quality issues until today. Can you do that?"

"Yes." Janice set down her coffee. "I have my field notes and all my data. The university has copies too, although I’m not certain of what they may have kept, destroyed, or altered since they buckled under pressure to discredit me. But my direct supervisor, Marcus, would have it all, plus I have backup copies."

"Good. That documentation will be crucial." Morrison glanced at Cole. "Mr. Iverson, I'll need statements from you and your team as well. Timeline of the rescue, everything that happened."

"You'll have it," Cole confirmed.

After Morrison left, Janice turned to really look at Cole for the first time since reaching safety. Taking in the scratches on his face, the exhaustion in his eyes.

"You came for me," she said softly. "Somehow I hoped you would. Knew you would.”

His hand moved to cup her face. "You were in danger. That was all I needed to know. I would have fought to the end to get to you."

"That shot I took," Janice whispered, the memory making her shake. "That man was going to kill you. I saw him raising his rifle, and I just used the gun you gave me and I..."

"You saved my life." Cole's voice was rough. "You were terrified, and you'd never fired a gun at a human before, but you took that shot anyway. That's real courage, Janice."

"I was so scared. What if I'd missed? What if⁠—"

"You didn't miss." He pressed his forehead to hers. "You didn't miss, and I'm alive because of you. We're both alive. That's what matters."

They stayed like that for a long moment, just breathing together, letting survival sink in.